Amateur-built PITTS S-2E accident near Okeechobee, Florida, March 13, 2010
On March 13, 2010 at about 9:45 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-2E, registered N17CF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Okeechobee, Florida (River Acres Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a crosswind landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2010 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Okeechobee, Florida · River Acres Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-2E
- Registration
- N17CF · registry record · serial K0024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he encountered a strong crosswind during landing on runway 33, a 3,875-foot-long, 66-foot-wide, turf runway. After touchdown, the airplane veered to the left and the pilot was "unable to recover". The airplane departed the left side of the runway, struck an embankment, and nosed over. The airplane incurred substantial damage to the upper wing, empennage, and rudder. The pilot reported he did not experience any mechanical anomalies during the accident. The winds reported at the time of the accident were from 280 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,300 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 6,265 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 15, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,226 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 15, 2010; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,575 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming I0360 SER A&C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Serenity Transport LLC
The flight
- Departed from: OBE Okeechobee FL at 9:10 pm
- Destination: OBE Okeechobee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,875 ft by 66 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from OBE, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.